-The idea for this game's development began in 2011 during the VO recordings for Type-0, but actual development had to start later because some of the staff members were busy with XIII-2.

-Character models were redone. NPC and monsters' texture were improved.

-For pre-rendered cinematics, Kazuyuki Ikumori from Visual Works, involved in the original game's cutscenes, supervised the switch to 16:9.

-Sound quality has been improved as the game will rely on streaming its music from the disc instead of using the console's sound chip. This doesn't mean that there are more live instruments recording (it could be though), but at the very least we'll get higher-quality synths.

-Kitase says they had some trouble getting the highest-quality possible from this remaster. One S-E programmer was responsible for retrieving and repairing as much data possible from the original game, but some of it had to be created from scratch. They enlisted the help of an external studio to help them with the remasters.

Around 10 years ago, I was given the privilege of taking on the role of Producer on FINAL FANTASY X and FINAL FANTASY X-2. Just in time for PAX East, I am excited to announce that FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster will be coming to North America this year for PlayStation 3 and PS Vita.

I invite you all to once again join Tidus and Yuna as they combat the colossal menace known as “Sin” to bring about lasting peace to the world of Spira – all in gorgeous HD!

I’d like to thank the fans for supporting FINAL FANTASY and all of our efforts throughout these many years. We’ll be sharing more information and updates in the coming months, and we invite you to stay updated on all things FINAL FANTASY X and FINAL FANTASY X-2 through our official website and Facebook page.

+ Justin Massongill on March 22nd, 2013 at 10:05 am said:
I reached out to Square Enix, who confirmed that yes, this will be the International version of FFX and FFX-2.

Hello PlayStation fans! It doesn’t feel that long ago that I was here bringing you the exciting news of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX’s European release. Today, I’m happy to be able to return with some equally awesome news! FINAL FANTASY X and FINAL FANTASY X-2 will be getting the same high definition treatment – being released in Europe this year!

For those of you who love to lounge around at home with your PlayStation 3 and a big telly, you’ll get both FINAL FANTASY X and X-2 bundled together on one disc, called FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster. If however you find yourself always on the go, trying to sneak in a quick gaming session during your lunch break, then FINAL FANTASY X HD Remaster and FINAL FANTASY X-2 HD Remaster will be available separately for PS VITA.

Final Fantasy fans will be excited to know that they’re not just getting a mind-blowingly beautifully HD version of the game they love, oh no! Both games are based on the International version, which is the most complete, feature-heavy iteration of each game to release. The International version of FINAL FANTASY X-2 never made it to European shores before, so there’s quite a chunk of additional content for you to dive into!

The International version of FINAL FANTASY X introduces an Expert version of the Sphere Grid in which all the characters start in the middle and you can choose any path… but there are fewer nodes and therefore a decrease in the number of upgrades available – challenging indeed! This edition also includes new abilities, new superbosses (Dark Aeons and Penance), and more.

FINAL FANTASY X-2 is also getting the International treatment, high definition graphics and more content than I can list! But you’ll have to wait a little bit longer until we reveal the full list of enhancements and extra features.

So all in all that’s pretty great stuff, huh? We know you’ve been eager to hear more so let me leave you with the exciting news that you’ll be getting a trailer on March 25 – make sure to pop back here then!

Got any questions? Feel free to leave them in the comments and we’ll answer what we can. For the latest news on FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or if you’re just looking to chat with a fellow gamer then feel free to say hi on @benbateman.